Coal-mining machine.



-N. -D. LEVIN. coA'L MINING MACHINE. APVPLICATION FlLED JAN. 5. 19 17.

Patented Jan. T, 1916)- 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR ATTOI SWEY N. D. LEVIN. -COAL MINING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1912.

1,290,593 Patented Jan. 7,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INVENTOR s JITORIJEY N. D. LEVIN.

COAL MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1917.

Patented J :In. 7, 1919,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' xiv y gi 31.

z 3 41 30 g 4 ATTORNEY urns n. revise, or commons, OHIO, Assrcuon TO THE triarrnnr MANUFACTURING comrm, or commune, OHIO, A CORPORATION, or OHIO.

COAL-MINING MACHINE.

menses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. a, rare.

Application filed January 1917. Serial No. 140,750.

To all whom it may; concern:

Be it known that I, Nins D.'Lnvrn, a citizen of the United States. residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and the State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coal-Mining Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawing..

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in coal mining machines, and especially to that class of mining machines in which eachis provided with track wheels adapted to travel over the tracks of the mine and is adapted to perform its cutting ope ations while supported on said track whee s.

The espechl object ofthis invention is to provide a machine of theclass described having improved power connections between the motor and the track wheels whereby the machine is adapted to be propelled along the tracks of the mine while the cutting element is in any of its various positions of adjustment.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have illustrated a machine embodying my invention, but it is to be orne in mind that I do not limit myself to the construction here shown, as there are which may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Of the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying 'my invention.

Fig. 2 is a general plan view of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1.,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along theline 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4, of Fig. 2. l

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the machine with the upper parts wheels and axles. 1

Like numerals refer to similar parts in the several figures.

' This machingis mounted'up'on atr'uck frame 1 having journal bearings 2 in which are journaled the axles 3 and i, and to the axles are fixed the track wheels 5 adapted to travel over the rails '6 ofthe mine tracks.

it the rear of the truck 1 preferably pro-' vide a step and a cable reel 8, which may of which are formed screw threads.

- ably -spaced about this ring are three depending 14, each comprising two parallel many modificationsv broken away to disclose the 'the ring 13, to hold be of any preferred construction, is usually provided upon which may be wound the electric conductor cable 9, through which the power is supplied to actuate the machine.

Securely attached to thetruck platform, arranged in an equilateral triangle, are

three upstanding studs 10 upon the surface mob of these studs is fitted with two nuts 11 which have beveled surfaces, and are provided. with radial apertures ifi adapted to engage the end of a bar, or spanner wrench, by which they may be turned.

13 represents an annular ring of preferrectangular cross section. Equally brackets side bars 15 at the lower end of which are formed a horizontal yoke 16 having an aperture adapted to receive one of the studs 10. The nuts 11 are positioned one above, the other below the horizontal yoke on each of the studs and the apertures in the yokes are large enough to admit of a certain amount of lateral movement of the yokes relative to the studs. by proper adjustment of the nuts 11 the brackets 14 with the ring 13 may be raised and lowered to adjust it to any desired clevation relative to the truck, and may be locked in suchposition by the tightening surface of the ring 13, serve to guide the frame casting in its rotation. A series of brackets or clips 19, attached to the under side of the frame casting 17, engage the under side of the ring 13 to prevent up.- ward movement of the frame relative to the ring. A series oi notches 20. formed on the edge of the frame casting are adapted to be; engaged by the latch 21 which is slidable in the bearing casting 22 attached to the frame in any desired angular position. When the latch 21 is in its lower position it is disengaged from the notches andthe frame, with its attached mechamsm,'is free to turn upon the ring.

It will be seen that Means for holding the latch in either its upper or lower position 15 provided in the pin 23 adapted to be inserted in the holes 24 and 25 of the hearing casting 22.

Supported from the under sideof the frame casting 17 is an electric motor 26 the armature shaft 27 of which is provided with a spur pinion 28 in mesh with the spur gear 29. This spur gear is attached to a sleeve 30 keyed to the driving shaft 31 and rotatably supported in the journal bearing 32 formed on theframe casting 17. At the inner end of the sleeve 30 is formed a flange 33 having apertures 34 through which extend the pins 235 of a pin clutch member 36 which is slidahle'upon the surface of the sleeve 30.. A second sleeve 37 is rotatably mounted upon the. shaft 31 and on the end of this sleeve adjacent the flange 33 is formed a similar flange 38 having notches adapted to engage the pin 35 of the clutch to drive the sleeve 37. Formed on the sleeve 37 is a worm 38 by which power is transmitted to the track wheels to propel the truck as will he hereinafter set forth.

Rotatable upon the shaft 31 is a bevel gear 39 having an elongated hub 40 on the surface of which is formed a journal rotatably supported in a journal bearing 41 formed on the frame casting. Formed on the outer end of the hub 40 is a jaw clutch member 42 adapted to engage with a similar jaw clutch member 43 slidablc upon the feather key 44 of the shaft 31. By this clutch arrangc ment the bevel gear 39 may be operatively connected with the shaft 31' and through the gear :29 with the motor 26. A thrust collar 45 is provided to prevent the clutch member 43'trom sliding oil the end of the shaft 31. Suitable ball bearings 4.6 are interposed between the sleeves 30, 3'? and 40 to take the thrust of the worm 38.

The bevel ear 39 en a 'es with a com lementary "car 47 attached to the lower end of a vertical shatt'at8 journaled in a suitable bearing 49 of the frame casting 17. At the upper end of the shaft 48 is fixed a sprocket wheel 50 by which is driven the chain 51 of the cutting mechanism. This cutting mechanism, is of the type; commonly used with mining machines of this class,;and com- V prises a chain supporting and guiding arm 52, extending horlzontallv from the frame pasting 17, about the edges of which travels the cutter chain 51 to which are fixed the cutter bits 53. In the operation of such a mining machine the coal is out by the moving bits 53 being forced against the coal by a horizontal movement of the cutter arm 52. ,This movement of the cutter arm is effected either by the rotation of the frame casting upon the ring 13, orby the bodily movement of the machine upon the track wheels. Either of these movements may be accomplished by a feeding mechanism comprising a rope 54 adapted to be fastened atone end to a suit able abutment, and to be Wound upon a cable winding drum 55 mounted upon the frame casting 17.

The drum 55 is rotatable upon a vertical shaft 56, journalcd in a bearing 57 of the frame casting 17, to which it may be con nected by a multiple disk friction clutch, the disks 58-of which are compressible by the hand wheel 59 screw threaded to the extension 60 of the shaft 55. To the lower end of the shaft 56 is fixed a worm gear 51 which is engaged by a worm 62 mounted upon a horizontal shaft 63 supported in suitable bearings of the frame casting 17. To this shaft 63 is fixed a ratchet wheel 64 at either side of which are rotatively mounted two ratchet level-s between which extends the pivot pin 66. The pin 66 carries a pawl 6? adapted to engage with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 64. These ratchet levers are connected by the rod 68 withthe straps 59 of the eccentric 70 fixed to n nd revolving with the bevel gear 47. By the rotation of this eccentric the ratchet lever 65 is caused to oscillate, and, by the engagement :r? the pawl with the ratchet wheel, the worm shaft is rotated to cause the rotation of the feed drum to wind the re 54.

Rotatable about the ratchet wheel 64; is a shield 71, movable by the adjusting screw 72. and adapted to engage the pawl 57 to lift it from engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. By the. adjustment of the position of this shield the number of teeth over which the pawl passesat each oscillation of the ratchet lever may be controlled to Vary the rate of Winding the rope 54, and the consequent rate of feeding the cutters into the coal. Mounted upon the frame casting 17 are a plurality of guide sheaves 73 adapted to guide the feed rope 54 from the feeddrum 55 to be led 0? from the machine in any desired direction.

When it is desired to rotate the cutting element to cut the coal, the rope 54: will be drawn out from the drum 55, passed around the guide sheaves and its end attached to one of the lugs 74 projecting from the bracket 14. The hand wheel 59 will then be manipulated to cause the winding of the ropej and the adjusting screw 72 adjusted to regulate the rateof winding. When now the motor is actuated the cutters will be fedinto the coal to cut it.

If it is desired to move the machine bodily along the track, to force the cutting mechanism into the coal in what is termed the sumping out, an anchor may be fixed in the coal face to which the rope 54 may be attached and upon winding the rope the machine will be drawn toward theanchor. The rate at which this rope is wound, even at the highest rate attainable with the ratchet devices above described, while suitahleior f eding the cutters into the coal, is entirely too slow for the movement of the machine from one working place to another. It is, therefore necessary to provide other means for propelling the truck along the tracks of the mine from'place to place. For this purpose I have provided the worm 38, above described, which is in engagement with a worm gear 74 fixed to the upper end of a vertical shaft 75 supported for rotation in a journal bearing 76, of 'the frame casting "l7! exactly concentric with the ring 13. The lower portion of the shaft 75 is slidable in a sleeve 77 journaled in a journal bearing 78 attached to the truck platform 1, and is connected to drive the sleeve by a suitable feather key 79, forming a telescoping drive connection between the turn table and the truck.

To the lower end of the sleeve 77 is fixed a bevel gear 80 engaging with a complementary gear 81 attached to a transverse shaft 82 supported in bearings 83 of the truck frame. A sprocket wheel 84 fixed to the shaft 82 transmits power to the axle 3 through the chain 85 and sprocket wheel 86, and the two axles are connected together by the chain 87 and sprocket wheels 88 and 89. By this arrangement power from the motor '26 may be transmitted to the truck wheels to propel the machine regardless of either the angular or vertical adjustment of the coal cutting element relative to the truck.

I am aware that it has been proposed to construct a truck-mounted coal cutting mechanism which would have a laterally projecting cutter. a set of track wheels, a relatively low frame on said wheels, a relatively higher laterally swinging frame carrying a cutter. and a mechanism for vertically adjusting the cutter carrying frame, the lat-icr mechanism com 'irising one or more telescoping tubes concentric with the vertical axis around which the cutter swings. Such central tube or tubes at the axis of the cutter swing were, according to such proposition, expected to carry the entire weight of the upper frame, the motor. the cutting apparatus and the cutter driving gearing. and also to receive all of thestrains and stresses developed by the cutting apparatus when in action.

In my mechanism the construction and rclation of parts. in these respects, are substantially difi'erei'it from those in the mechanisms that have been proposed as above described.

I arrange the devices which vertically adjust the turntable together (with the motor and the cutting apparatus) in such way that the great. weight of the turn-table and the parts carried thereby is supported at points in vertical lines quite remote from and optionally positioned independently of, the

vertical lines of the axis of the vertical devices which transmit downward the power that moves the truck and its load as an en- 'v along the track.

This enables me to position, at option, the vertical supports, interposed between the truck frame and the turn-table, either inside of the wheel base or outside of it as I find necessary. The axis of horizontal rotation of the cutting apparatus is eccentric as concerns the axis al ng which power is transmitted downward :0 the truck wheels. And, consequently, the devices which transmit this power (for locomotion) are relieved of all torsions, strains or stresses caused by the weights of the heavy parts at the top and by the actions of the motor and the cutting apparatus. The truck-driving elements. therefore, can be relatively small and light, the work involved in transporting the mechanism along the track being the least that is demanded in the use of the apparatus.

What I claim is In a coal cutting machine, the combination of the lower tracl fitting wheeled truck frame, a turn-table directly above and expanded horizontally across the wheel base of said truck frame, the horizontally extending cutting mechanism on the turn-table having an arm rigidly secured thereto and swinging therewith around a horizontal axis, means for driving the track wheels. apower transmitter rotating on a vertical axis, remote from the etoresaid axis, for conveying power to the wheel driving means, and a plurality of indtmendently actuated devices for vertically adjusting the turn-table upon the truck frame and carrying the weight and receiving the strains from the working parts independently of the vertical power transmitter tor the/truck wheels and arranged on vertical lines respectively eccentric to and remote from the axis of the last said tran s-' mitter.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

NILS D. LEVIN. \Vitnesses Dunner T. Frsnnn, IIARRY C. DEAN. 

